site.btaOver 5,000 Babies Born With Support from I Want a Baby Foundation

More than 5,000 babies have been born with the help of the I Want a Baby Foundation, its founder Radina Velcheva told BTA. At the same time, around 145,000 people in the country face reproductive problems, with between 10 and 15% of them needing a donor egg.

According to her, a major issue is the late age at which women begin trying to conceive. This often reduces the chances of natural conception and prolongs the treatment process in assisted reproduction - something specialists identify as one of the key reasons for the growing number of couples experiencing reproductive difficulties.

Petrich is taking a significant step in supporting couples with reproductive issues by signing a memorandum of cooperation with the organization. The initiative opens up new opportunities for access to specialized medical care, psychological support, and prevention efforts among young people in the region.

“This partnership comes at the right time and in the right place. In just 48 hours, all appointment slots for the first visit of an assisted reproduction specialist in Petrich were filled, clearly showing the need for this type of support. The first consultations will take place on May 2. Thirty people are already registered, and at least 10 more are waiting for a chance to join,” Velcheva said.

The signing of the memorandum is not limited to medical assistance. One of the main goals is to expand activities toward prevention. The foundation actively works with students from grades 10 to 12 and, over the past four years, has reached more than 3,000 young people through educational meetings with doctors, endocrinologists, and obstetrician-gynecologists. The focus is on awareness and care for reproductive health from an early age.

The foundation also offers a programme unique in Europe for psychological and emotional support, developed since 2008. More than 10 trained psychologists participate in it, providing assistance mainly to women.

Since 2019, similar mobile clinics have been operating in more than 10 Bulgarian cities, with Petrich now joining this network with the support of local authorities and the medical community. A free reproductive health clinic will also be opened in the city.

Among the foundation’s most significant achievements is the creation and establishment of the state IVF fund in 2009 - one of the most successful policies supporting people with reproductive difficulties. Currently, the fund covers up to four IVF procedures worth up to EUR 3,000 each for women up to 43 years of age.